Current Oman Travel: Security Situation & On-Site Assessment
Situation Center · Daily Checked · Status 17.09.2026
Verification
Last checked: 17.09.2026, 10:30 AM by Philip Eichkorn · Last content change: 17.09.2026 · Next check: 18.09.2026
This page is checked daily by a named person and updated immediately in case of changes. Official classifications and our own observations are clearly marked as separate.
Can you currently travel to Oman?
Yes – Travel is taking place. There is no travel warning for the classic travel regions – Muscat, the tour routes in the north, and Salalah – and air traffic is ongoing. However, the Foreign Office advises against traveling to the exclave of Musandam and the immediate border region to Yemen; both areas lie outside our travel routes.
Between the end of February and July 2026, Omani territory was repeatedly attacked. Ports, industrial and military facilities, as well as ships – none of the classic travel destinations were affected. We present this fully on this page, rather than glossing over it. Whether a trip is right for you personally is your decision. We provide the daily checked facts and our assessment firsthand.
- Verification
- Can you currently travel to Oman?
- What applies where – the situation board
- What applies where – and how far apart is it?
- What happened when – and what have we checked?
- The most frequently asked questions about the current situation
- Travel warning, advice against, security note - what is the difference?
- We are not writing about Oman. We have just returned from there.
- How this assessment is made
- Important note
What applies where – the situation board
Official assessment and our observation on site, marked separately. Status 17.09.2026.
Legend: ● no restrictions · ▲ increased attentiveness · ■ Foreign Office advises against travel
| Area | Official assessment | Our observation on site |
|---|---|---|
| ● No restrictions — Muscat & classic tour routes (Nizwa, Jebel Akhdar, Wahiba Sands, Sur, Coast) | No travel warning, no advisories. The general travel and safety notices of the Foreign Office apply. | Everyday life is normal, all routes accessible. All trips in recent months conducted as planned. Our team lives and works on site. |
| ● No restrictions — Salalah & the south (Dhofar) | No travel warnings for the travel areas. The advisory applies only to the immediate border region to Yemen, about 150 km to the west. | Old town, souks, and excursion destinations remain unaffected. The port of Raysut, about 15 km west of the city, was hit twice in March — infrastructure, not a tourist area. |
| ▲ Increased attentiveness — Muscat airport & air traffic | Airport is open continuously. Short-term restrictions of airspace in the region remain possible according to AA and EDA. EASA bulletin CZIB-2026-07R2 (revision of 31.08.2026, valid until 30.09.2026) for waters of the Muscat FIR west of 58 degrees east – recommendation for the Muscat FIR unchanged. | Muscat has been continuously accessible. There were still some cancellations: The Lufthansa Group has removed Muscat from the flight schedule until 24.10.2026. We check each route individually. |
| ▲ Increased attentiveness — Northern coast between Muscat and the UAE border (Sohar) | No travel warning, no advisories. | On 13.03.2026, an attack hit the industrial area Al-Awahi near Sohar (2 dead, 10 injured). Relevant for overland combinations with the UAE — please ask us specifically about this route. |
| ■ AA advises against travel — Exclave Musandam (Strait of Hormuz, separated from the mainland by the UAE) | The Foreign Office advises against travel (since 13.07.2026). On 12.07.2026, drone attacks on targets in the exclave. | About 360 km aerial distance from Muscat, accessible only overland through the UAE. Not part of our travel routes — currently not offered by us. |
| ■ AA advises against travel — Immediate border region to Yemen | The Foreign Office advises against travel (since 21.07.2026). EDA and BMEIA also specifically point out this region. | Begins about 150 km west of Salalah and lies outside all of our travel routes — we do not generally go there. |
| ▲ Increased attentiveness — Region of the Near & Middle East (overarching situation) | Situation according to AA volatile; increased abstract threat for terrorist attacks. Despite the USA–Iran memorandum of 17.06.2026, military strikes in the region have resumed. | Oman has pursued a neutral foreign policy for decades and actively mediates between the conflict parties. Since 05.09.2026 the situation at sea between the USA and Iran has escalated (“tanker war”); shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is greatly reduced. On 07.09.2026, according to Tehran, Iran and Oman agreed charts for a shipping corridor through Iranian and Omani waters. On 16.09.2026, Iran's foreign minister says in Beijing that Iran and Oman have agreed on a plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz; a meeting of the Gulf states with Iran is to be held in Oman. In everyday life in the travel areas, nothing of the regional situation is noticeable. |
Travel to the exclave of Musandam at the Strait of Hormuz and the immediate border region to Yemen is advised against.
Foreign Office, travel and safety information Oman · Status 16.09.2026, unchanged valid since 04.09.2026 · To the original source
For travelers from Switzerland and Austria: The EDA (Status 09.07.2026) does not issue a travel warning, but considers the regional situation unstable despite the memorandum of 17.06.2026 and points out possible short-term airspace closures and flight cancellations. The BMEIA classifies Oman at security level 2 out of 4 and advises against unnecessary travel to the immediate border area to Yemen.
What applies where – and how far apart is it?
Geography is the real answer
- Musandam is an exclave: separated from the Omani mainland by the territory of the UAE, about 360 kilometers aerial distance from Muscat and accessible only overland through the UAE. None of our tours go there.
- The immediate border region to Yemen begins about 150 kilometers west of Salalah and lies outside all travel routes. The conflict in western Yemen at the Red Sea occurs more than 1,000 kilometers away from Salalah.
- The classic routes – Muscat, Nizwa, Jebel Akhdar, Wahiba Sands, Sur as well as the region around Salalah – were never affected. Ports, industrial and military facilities were hit: Duqm, Raysut near Salalah, Sohar, Bukha, and Khasab.
- Our Canvas Club Desert Camp in the Wahiba Sands opens like every year in mid-September for the new season.
What happened when – and what have we checked?
We continuously document official changes, relevant events, and our own observations on site. Most recent entries first.
Categories: Checked and On Site stand for our own observation, authority for official changes, event and diplomacy for the happenings in the region.
| Date | Category | What happened |
|---|---|---|
| 16.09.2026 | Diplomacy | Iran's Foreign Minister Araghchi says in Beijing that Iran and Oman have agreed on a plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. US Secretary of State Rubio calls Oman's foreign minister and acknowledges Oman's role in de-escalation; a meeting of the Gulf states with Iran is to be held in Oman. Sources: TASS , The National , GlobalSecurity.org . |
| 16.09.2026 | Authority | The German Foreign Office republishes its travel and safety information for Oman with status 16.09.2026 – content unchanged: it continues to advise against travel only to the Musandam exclave and the immediate border region to Yemen. Our travel areas are not affected. Sources: Auswärtiges Amt . |
| 14.09.2026 | Event | A US drone destroys two Iranian Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) boats in the Strait of Hormuz that were attempting to seize an unmanned US vessel. No target in Oman. Our travel areas are not affected. Sources: GlobalSecurity.org . |
| 13.09.2026 | Event | The tanker El Gaia is struck again in the Strait of Hormuz off Musandam, with a fire in the engine room. The Royal Navy of Oman evacuates 23 crew members, two remain missing; the vessel is towed to an Omani port. Our travel areas are not affected. Sources: Times of Oman , gCaptain . |
| 04.09.2026 | Authority | The German Foreign Office republishes its travel and safety information for Oman – content unchanged: no travel warning, it continues to advise against travel only to the Musandam exclave and the immediate border region to Yemen. Our travel areas are not affected. Sources: Auswärtiges Amt . |
| 03.09.2026 | Authority | The German Foreign Office republishes its travel and safety information for Oman with status 03.09.2026 – content unchanged: it continues to advise against travel only to the Musandam exclave and the immediate border region with Yemen. Our travel areas are not affected. Sources: Auswärtiges Amt . |
| 30./31.08.2026 | Event | Renewed military strikes between the USA and Iran, the first since late July: on 30.08., US forces bomb rocket launch sites on Iran's Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz; overnight into 31.08., Iran retaliates against US bases in Jordan and the UAE. No target is in Oman. Our travel areas are not affected. Sources: Euronews . |
| 25.08.2026 | Event | A tanker is struck by an unknown projectile near Khasab (Musandam) in the Strait of Hormuz: the fire on board is extinguished, the crew is unharmed and the vessel remains operational. Second incident in this zone within two days. Our travel areas are not affected. Sources: UKMTO , Gulf News . |
| 25.08.2026 | Diplomacy | The foreign ministers of Iran and Oman agree in Tehran on a framework for a temporary joint navigational corridor through the Strait of Hormuz, including a mine-clearing project. Talks on a permanent corridor are to follow within 30 to 60 days; the outcome remains open. Sources: Euronews , Bloomberg . |
| 24.08.2026 | Event | A tanker in the Strait of Hormuz is struck by a projectile about 9 nautical miles northeast of Ash Shishah (Musandam): the engine room is damaged and the vessel is left unable to maneuver. According to UKMTO, the crew is unharmed. Our travel areas are not affected. Sources: UPI , The National . |
| 20.08.2026 | Checked | Daily situation check: no change. AA notes unchanged (status 21.07.), flight operations from Frankfurt and Munich as planned, team Muscat and Salalah confirms normal everyday life. |
| 18.08.2026 | On Site | Philip Eichkorn back from a week-long trip (Muscat, Nizwa, Wahiba Sands, coast near Sur): everyday life everywhere normal, all routes accessible, hotels and tour guides operating as usual. |
| 21.07.2026 | Authority | The Foreign Office expands its advisories to the immediate border area to Yemen. This status has remained unchanged to this day. |
| Mid 07.2026 | Event | Two tankers hit in Omani waters. EASA advises against flights over waters of the Gulf of Oman within the Muscat FIR west of 58 degrees east in a conflict zone bulletin. |
| 13.07.2026 | Authority | The Foreign Office advises against travel to the exclave Musandam. |
| 12.07.2026 | Event | Drone attack on targets in the Musandam governorate. Oman officially condemns the attacks. |
| 23.06.2026 | Authority | The Foreign Office also lifts the urgent advisory against travel to Oman, the UAE, Bahrain, and Qatar. |
| 17.06.2026 | Diplomacy | USA and Iran sign a memorandum of understanding to end military confrontation. |
| Early 05.2026 | Authority | The Foreign Office lifts the travel warning for Oman, the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. An urgent advisory remains in place initially. |
| 04.05.2026 | Event | A residential building for company employees in Bukha (Musandam) is hit, two injured. |
| 03.04.2026 | Event | A US fighter jet is shot down near Bukha; the pilot is injured. |
| 28.03.2026 | Event | The port of Salalah (Raysut) is again hit by two drones: one worker injured, damage to a crane. The city of Salalah remains unaffected. |
| 13.03.2026 | Event | The industrial area Al-Awahi near Sohar on the northern coast is hit: two dead, ten injured. The most severe event of the entire period on Omani soil. |
| 11.03.2026 | Event | At the port of Salalah, two fuel tanks catch fire, and port operations are suspended. |
| 01–04 March 2026 | Event | Drone strikes at the port of Duqm and its fuel depot. Several ships are hit: off Khasab, about 96 km off Muscat (one dead) and in the Strait of Hormuz. Two drones are intercepted over Dhofar. |
| 28 February 2026 | Event | Beginning of military escalation in the region. The Foreign Office then issues a travel warning that also includes Oman. |
| 26 February 2026 | Diplomacy | Third round of indirect talks between the USA and Iran in Geneva, mediated by Oman's Foreign Minister Badr Al Busaidi. |
The most frequently asked questions about the current situation
Collected from hundreds of consultation discussions over the past months - answered with the status as of 17 September 2026.
Is travel to Oman currently safe?
In the classic travel regions - Muscat, the tour routes in the north, and Salalah - trips are currently running without restrictions; there is no travel warning for these areas. However, the Foreign Office advises against traveling to the exclave of Musandam and to the immediate border region with Yemen – both areas are outside our travel routes. Our team lives and works in Muscat and Salalah in normal daily life; all trips in recent months could be carried out as scheduled.
An honest answer also includes: Between the end of February and July 2026, Omani territory was repeatedly attacked. Ports, industrial and military facilities, as well as ships were targeted, not the travel destinations. Whether travel is right for you personally remains your decision. What we can contribute: daily checked facts, transparency also about what is not going well, and a conversation with people who have just been there.
Is there a travel warning for Oman?
No, there is no nationwide travel warning. The Foreign Office lifted the travel warning in early May 2026; on June 23, 2026, the initially existing urgent advice against travel was also removed. Since July 21, 2026, it has remained unchanged: Travel to the exclave of Musandam at the Strait of Hormuz and to the immediate border region with Yemen is advised against. Additionally, the Foreign Office points out an increased abstract threat of terrorist attacks in the region.
What the various levels mean, we explain in the box below these questions - the terms are often confused.
Have there been security-relevant events in Oman - and where exactly?
Yes, and they were more than isolated incidents. Between early March and mid-July 2026, Omani territory was repeatedly attacked from the air and at sea. The most severe events: On March 11, two fuel tanks caught fire at the port of Salalah, and port operations were suspended. On March 13, an attack hit the industrial area of Al-Awahi near Sohar - two people died, ten were injured. On March 28, the port of Salalah was hit again. Other affected areas included Duqm, Bukha, Khasab, and several ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
The pattern is clear throughout the entire period: targets were port, industrial, and military infrastructure, as well as shipping. Tourist locations were not affected at any time. The old town of Salalah, the souks, the frankincense trail, Muscat, and the classic tour routes ran normally without interruption. The affected port is in Raysut, about 15 kilometers west of Salalah city center.
One location deserves special mention: Sohar is located on the north coast between Muscat and the border with the UAE and is therefore relevant for combination trips by land. Please let us know if you plan this route. You can find the complete sequence with dates in the chronology on this page.
What about the exclave of Musandam?
The Foreign Office currently advises against travel to Musandam; on July 12, 2026, there were drone attacks there, which Oman officially condemned. For context: Musandam is an exclave at the Strait of Hormuz, separated from the Omani mainland by the territory of the UAE and about 360 kilometers in a straight line from Muscat - reachable by land only with transit through the UAE. Musandam is not part of our travel routes and is not currently offered by us.
We state this clearly because transparency is the foundation of every assessment - especially where the news is uncomfortable.
Are there flights to Oman?
Yes. Muscat Airport (MCT) has been continuously open, and the Omani airspace has remained operational. Oman was even the most important southern bypass corridor during the conflicts when other airspaces in the region were closed.
There have still been individual cancellations. The Lufthansa Group has removed Muscat from its flight schedule until October 24, 2026, and flights from Frankfurt and Munich were also canceled. Since mid-July, the European aviation safety authority EASA has indicated in a conflict zone bulletin not to fly over waters in the Gulf of Oman within the Muscat FIR west of 58 degrees east. The current revision CZIB-2026-07R2 of 31.08.2026 is valid until 30.09.2026 and leaves this recommendation for the Muscat FIR unchanged; this may lead to changed approach routes. We check the connections for each request individually and will tell you openly which route is currently reliable.
Is Salalah and the south safe? How far is the border with Yemen?
Salalah, the old town, the souks, and the attractions of the region were not affected at any time - with the exception of the port of Raysut, located about 15 kilometers west of the city, which was hit twice in March 2026. That’s infrastructure, not a tourist area.
The immediate border region with Yemen begins about 150 kilometers west of Salalah and lies outside all our travel routes; the Foreign Office has advised against traveling there since July 21, 2026. The current conflict situation in western Yemen on the Red Sea is taking place more than 1,000 kilometers away from Salalah.
Does my travel cancellation and health insurance apply?
There is no travel warning for the areas we visit; thus, the most common exclusion reason in travel insurance is eliminated. Whether and to what extent your policy applies depends on its terms - please clarify this directly with your insurer. If desired, we will provide you with a written confirmation of your travel route. If you do not yet have travel insurance, we recommend getting one regardless of the current situation.
What happens if I book and want to cancel at short notice?
We currently offer very flexible cancellation conditions - regardless of how the political situation develops and independent of an official travel warning. We will discuss the specific conditions before your booking in a personal conversation, so you know exactly what you are dealing with.
What happens if the situation changes during my trip?
Our team in Muscat and Salalah is available via a 24-hour number throughout your trip. Should the situation change at short notice, we will be in direct contact with you, adjust the route if necessary, or organize an early return in case of emergency.
Can I currently travel to Oman with children?
Yes, family trips are currently taking place normally. The Foreign Office describes the crime rate and the risk of violent crimes in Oman as very low. For planning trips with children, the same assessments apply as for all other trips: the classic routes are not affected, Musandam and the Yemen border region are not being visited.
Can I currently combine Oman with the UAE or Dubai?
Combination trips are basically possible, but the assessment depends heavily on the specific route - we do not assess the situation in the UAE broadly. One point is important to us: If the route runs over land along the north coast, it passes Sohar, where the industrial area of Al-Awahi was hit on March 13, 2026. Please specifically contact us with combination requests; we will advise you on the current situation on your desired route.
Is your Canvas Club desert camp open?
Yes - as every year, we will set up our tents in mid-September. The Wahiba Sands are located on the classic tour route and were not affected by events at any time. Our Canvas Club team is very much looking forward to the new season and welcoming all guests.
What are the current availabilities and prices?
The hotels are currently underutilized and are therefore repeatedly offering attractive deals. With our tour guides, whom we have all personally known for many years, we can draw from a wealth of resources. In a country where mass tourism is already low, it is currently even quieter than usual - oases, desert, and mountains can be experienced in peace.
Travel warning, advice against, security note - what is the difference?
The Foreign Office uses graduated formulations that are often mixed up:
- Travel and Security Advisories - there are for every country in the world, even for unobtrusive destinations.
- Review travel intentions - increased indication to weigh the necessity of a trip. Currently applies to travel in and through the region.
- Travel is discouraged - a clear recommendation against travel, usually for specific areas, colloquially referred to as a partial travel warning. Currently applies to Musandam and the immediate border region with Yemen.
- Travel warning - the highest level. There is currently none for Oman; it was lifted nationwide in early May 2026.
We are not writing about Oman. We have just returned from there.
Our team with offices in Muscat and Salalah lives and works continuously in the country. Each travel advisor has lived in Oman for several years themselves, and we have also been there personally multiple times a year during this time. Philip Eichkorn returned on August 18, 2026, from a week-long trip through Muscat, Nizwa, the Wahiba Sands, and the coast near Sur.
We were practically alone in the Grand Mosque. An experience that one will probably never experience again. We are glad that we held on to the trip.
Message from a client after her round trip, August 2026
How this assessment is made
This page is checked daily by a specifically named person and updated immediately with changes. The basis is the official travel advisories of the three DACH Foreign Ministries, the status of flight operations, and the direct feedback from our team in Muscat and Salalah. Official classifications and our own observations are marked separately throughout - you should always be able to recognize what the official situation is and what our assessment is.
Professionally checked by: Philip Eichkorn , Managing Director – lived for several years in Oman, last on site in August 2026.
Our sources
- Foreign Office (DE): Travel and Security Advisories Oman – primary source for the official classification, checked daily
- EDA (CH): Travel advisories for Oman – for travelers from Switzerland, status as of July 9, 2026
- BMEIA (AT): Travel information Oman – for travelers from Austria, security level 2 out of 4
- Flight status of connections from Frankfurt and Munich to Muscat - daily verification of flight operations
- Reporting from international news agencies (including Reuters, AP, Al Jazeera) as well as Omani media (Times of Oman, Muscat Daily, ONA) - basis of the chronology
- Canvas Club Team Muscat and Salalah - direct situation feedback from daily life on site, seven days a week
Important note
This page does not replace the official travel and security advisories of your Foreign Ministry - please read them yourself before each trip, regardless of the current situation. Our observations on site are experiential values, not an official assessment. The decision to embark on a journey lies with you.
Oman trips
Wir passen gerne jede Reise auf Ihre Wünsche und Vorstellungen an. Die folgenden Reisen sind lediglich Beispiele, wie eine Reise aussehen könnte.
- Price: on request
- Duration: from 7 days
- Experience the multifaceted capital Muscat
- Visit the fascinating mountain side
- Spend the night under the twinkling starry sky
- Enjoy relaxing days at the beach
- Price: on request
- Duration: from 7 days
- Stroll through the colorful souks
- Go on discovery tours in the mountains
- Enjoy the silence of the desert
- Let your soul unwind in Salalah
- Price: on request
- Duration: from 7 days
- Sail on a dhow through the fjords in Musandam
- Experience the diverse landscapes
- Sleep in the Wahiba Sands desert
- Enjoy unforgettable days at Six Senses Zighy Bay
- Price: on request
- Duration: from 7 days
- Embark on an exploration tour in the metropolis of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates
- Immerse yourself in the pristine Oman
- Relax in lofty heights in the Omani mountains
- Fulfill your dream of a desert night
- Price: from €3,170
- Duration: from 7 days
- Guaranteed from 2 persons and with a maximum of 12 participants
- Continuously in 4x4 jeeps along picturesque panoramic routes
- German-speaking support and Omani tour guide
- Visit mountain villages, handicraft workshops, green oases, the majestic mountains, colourful souks, the famous cattle market in Nizwa and the Wahiba Sands desert.
- Price: from €14,885
- Duration: from 11 days
- Immerse yourself in the traditional Oman
- Relax in the airy heights of the Omani mountains
- Fulfill the dream of a desert night
- Exploring the majestic dunes in the Rub al Khali desert
- Enjoy tranquility of Salalah's coastline
No waiting line, no call center: You talk directly to our team - people who have lived in Oman for several years and are regularly there themselves. Ask us any questions about the situation, even the uncomfortable ones. And as a reminder: you currently book with us under very flexible cancellation conditions.
We are here for you
Our team of travel advisors is happy to assist you with any follow-up questions.